Elder Dixson is now a missionary in the new Peru Huancayo Mission!

We just found out in Elder Dixson's email today that he will now be in the brand new Peru Huancayo Mission.  He will have a new mission president, but he will stay in his current area.  The Huancayo area where he is at now, was part of the Peru Lima East Mission that he was originally called to serve in. 

Hey Ma! Sorry I don’t have a whole lot of time! Yep! I stayed in Huancayo! Not happy or sad! I didn’t really know what I wanted! haha But I will have more cool Peru experiences here I think. Still in Manti for at least 5 more weeks with Elder Gurumendi.  Don’t worry about the package till I know the address of the new mission! Today we had a conference with President Ardila and his family for the last time. It was pretty sad. De verdad Hermana Ardila reminds me a ton of you mom and I got a little emotional when we said our last goodbyes cuz it made me think of the airport again and saying bye to the family again. It was tough! She shared this scripture read it and see if it helps. Moroni ch 8 vs 2 and 3. Take care of Annie and the rest of the fam! Have fun! Love you so much! Zach

Hey Dad, for the broadcast, the whole system was down. I did see a little part of it though. Members are huge!!!!!!!! And there is no better or more important work than that of a missionary. I know it’s different here but most of our success comes from members and missionaries visiting less active families. Because when a LA family re activates almost always there is a child who hasn’t been baptized or a cousin who the elders can teach. It’s gold. Also, family members of recent converts, half of our baptisms have been from one recent convert. All people love their families and when they know it’s true and can bless the lives of their families it’s powerful. References from recent converts are gold too. Give it a try and visit a less active fam with the elders. Well, I love being a missionary!!!!!!!!!!! Have fun being one at home! I love you and miss you a ton papi! Love Zach

For real I had sheep intestines on Friday

We didn't receive a specific letter for everyone on the blog again today, but I will share parts of the letters Elder Dixson sent to his dad and I.  We are praying for his stomach to tolerate the food a bit better!

Letters from June 17, 2013
Hey mom!
Haha don’t worry so much about my health! I’m totally fine, little by little my stomach is getting used to it. Thx for not telling me about the lovely American food, dad already did, punk haha jk. But no for real I had sheep intestines on Friday and Sunday I had cow stomach. The sheep intestines were the nastiest things in the universe!!!!! Just the smell made me gag so hard. The cow stomach was easier to tolerate but still way gross. I’m warm enough and tonight I’ll find out if I stay or go. Some Elders are saying for sure I’m probably going to Lima, and others say probably not. The reason is cuz they started Elder Gurumendi here 2 weeks early to learn the area cuz they knew they wanted me in Lima cuz im awesome haha. But we will see. There’s a McDonalds in Lima so you know what I’m hoping for haha. I’m super pumped about Jake and a little jealous cuz Iquitos is all jungle. Kind of not jealous too cuz I’m not a big fan of mosquitoes and snakes. Tons of mosquitoes there!!!! There is a rule that we can’t use parents credit card unless we get direct permission from the pres. But no te preocupes I got everything I need. All I really need is a song in my heart, food in my belly, and love in my family! Tell my sisters I love them lots! I love you!
Con mucho amor,
Zach
 
Hey dad!
The stomach seems to constantly be an issue, but it hasn’t really affected my ability to work yet. I haven’t vomited this week so poco a poco I seem to be getting used to the food. Man just thinking about that American food makes my mouth water haha.  But I’m surviving haha.  My Spanish is pretty solid. I understand almost everything. Every once in a while I have to say sorry cuz I don’t understand a key word in a sentence but other than that I can teach and respond super well. I am way grateful for God’s help in that! haha pobrecita. Peru is great. The people are wonderful and I couldn’t be happier. It’s going by way fast though. Take care of the fam. I love you a ton papi. Oh and Happy Father’s day!!!!!!!!!!!! Sorry it’s only like the 2nd time I’ve thought about it. But you know how much i love you man. You are seriously the best dad in the world. I’m so grateful for all you have done for me. I love you so much! Elder Zach Dixson

 

 

Emails from 6-10-13

We usually get a few emails from Elder Dixson each week on P-day.  One for everyone on the blog and usually personal emails to mom, dad, brother and sister, etc...  This week mom and dad each got a personal email but there wasn't a specific one for the blog.  I pieced together parts of his personal email to us and posted it here for everyone to read. 

6-10-13

It’s been a busy week for me too, lots of disappointments from investigators. And I got a little sick. I’m better now though, don’t worry. So elder Torres left! He went to Lima. Super weird after only 4 weeks.  My new comp is Elder Garamendi from Equador. He doesn’t speak English at all but he is great, a good missionary. I miss Elder Torres though, he is awesome. Ya that’s cool with the package the mission splits the 19th of this month so I’ll let you know. It’s getting pretty cold here and rainy too but my coat works well.

My daily routine is,

 wake up

get ready

go to pensionista for bf, usually eat a little bread with hot milk and maybe yogurt

go back and study and train

contact

lunch potatoes chicken and a butt load of rice

appointments

dinner, hot milk and a little something like fried eggs and rice

plan

work out

sleep

Sat is a little different cuz in the afternoons we have baptisms and I teach classes of English in the church to bring investigators. We mostly walk every once in a while we will take something called a comvi. It’s like a minivan but they stuff like 20 people in it haha, not exaggerating.

I’m getting pretty skinny cuz I’m throwing up a lot cuz I’m getting used to the food. Man I’ve really realized how much I love my family out here. I just miss you guys so much. I’ve  learned that chillin watching an ASU game with pizza and soda and you and Blake is basically like heaven. But I’m lovin’ working out here.  I’m looking forward to those days again but not too much.

Love,  Elder Dixson

Elder Dixson baptism in Huancayo - June 2013

Life is great here in Huancayo! letter from 6-3-13

Hey fam!

Life is great here in Huancayo! El Tambo to be more specific mom.  So we ate pucha manka yesterday which is meat and potatoes and like sweet tamales cooked on the ground by hot rocks. Way cool and we didn’t eat rice!!!!!!!!!!!!! 1st meal sin rice since I’ve been here haha. Outa time darn it. I’ll say more cool stuff next week. Love yall!

 

 

More Picturess from Huancayo - May 2013

Don't know why Zach sent a pic of a sheep.  Maybe the eyeball looked familiar from the soup he hate!

Hmmmmmm......???????  Interesting name for a snack food in Peru!

Yo I’m on a misión, how dope is that? May 27, 2013 Huancayo, Peru

Hola familia!

How are you all? Thanks for all your emails! I am just dandy swell here in Huancayo Peru. I am feeling a lot better and am able to eat again. I love eating. I miss American and Mexican food so much, a lot of soup and rice here. My 2 favorite things haha. I’ve only thrown up 3 times since I’ve been here so it’s not too bad. Wow some great news Dalyn!  That’s my boy d money. They eat a lot of meat there so I’m sure he will come back yoked. Ha ha and I’ll be the twig. And congrats to all the graduates! And Sidney! I don’t know the dude but I wish them the best! So last Saturday we had 2 baptisms! It was great! Baptizing the 16 year old Melanie brought back those feelings of my own baptism. Peace and happiness and the holy ghost verifying the truthfulness and importance and sacredness of this ordinance. I’ll try to send pics! haha so at least once a day I get shouts from random Peruvians . The most common are DIABLOS! or Gringos! or mormones! haha its funny but a Little scary too. The dog dazer has saved my life at least a million times. haha my comp loves it!  2 days ago we had a baptism for a 10 year old planned and everything was set. We were going over to her house that day for her interview when her mom stopped us and said that she and the girl didn’t want it anymore. Pretty frustrating. on the mission there are a lot of frustrating things that happen. Yesterday I was a little down but then I thought, yo I’m on a misión, how dope is that?  All of my investigators are so flaky! But I also love them more than anything. I am so grateful for all of your prayers for me. I can feel them, thanks a bunch! But also please add my investigators in your prayers, they need them more than I do. I love you all a ton! Make good choices!

Elder Dixson

More pictures in Huancayo Peru-May 2013

 Zach holding fake money in a museum.  He is wearing a hat that he bought there.

Elder Dixson and Elder Kidd

Elder Dixson with his companion and 2 sisters that were baptized

So life is just great here in Peru-May 20, 2013

May 20, 2013

Hola familia y amigos!

So life is just great here in Peru. Our zones motto is "poppin buttons, kickin dogs, gettin baptisms!" haha ya feel? So some fun facts about where I am ok? Doors are tiny! Like they barely come up to my chest so ya I’ve hit my head a few times. People look at me so weird! I’m seriously the only white kid within miles so everyone looks at me like I’m a freak. No jokes about that one papa... I know i set myself up. Anyways people just throw their trash in the street. There’s no public waste management or anything so it smells pretty bad sometimes, especially when there’s diapers. There is just about every farm animal just chillin in the street wherever I go, ummmmya I’ll think of more next week! Email me friends! Dalyn I want those pics from Wal-Mart..... I miss you all!!!!

Elder Dixson

Mother's Day on Skype-May 12, 2013

Mother's Day was amazing!  We were able to Skype with Elder Dixson and find out all about his new life.  He is doing well in Huancayo, his first area.  His companion is from Chile.  He lives in a very small apartment.  I don't think there is a kitchen in it.  He doesn't have a shower like we do.  He stands in a tub and uses something like a hose to fill a cup and then he pours the cup over him to shower:)  I guess the water just trickles out of the hose so that is why they need the cup, ha ha.  Now that is roughing it! He walks to his pensionista's home for 2 meals a day.  She is a lady that cooks for them and most all missionaries in Peru have a pensionista.  He usually eats rice at every meal with some other things.  He is still having some issues with nausea after eating.  They walk A LOT!  He said it could take up to an hour sometimes to walk to an appointment.  He has blisters to prove it! There are wild dogs that roam around that you need to be careful of. There are not very many people from the USA where he is at in Huancayo.  He gets stared at a lot with his light-colored all American features.  They also get cornered by people who have had too much to drink which can be a bit frightening. It gets a bit cold there in Huancayo this time of year.

Zach also shared another interesting food experience with us.  He ate soup at a member's house.  In the soup he found a claw and an eyeball.  Yep, an eyeball.  He asked what type of meat it was and they said chicken.  Zach thought that the eyeball was way too big for a chicken, more like a sheep eyeball.  He ended out eating the eyeball.  I asked him if he swallowed it whole, but he said no that it was too big and he chewed it.  He tried hard to get the full Peruvian food experience.  He did gag though.  Zach is braver than I would be!  Either that or starving!  He is doing really well and we are so proud of him.  He is teaching the gospel to others and learning a lot.  Although he really misses us, he is loving his mission and says he is "Livin' the dream". He is so dedicated to the Lord and wants to bring the gospel to the people of Peru.  It was hard to say goodbye....killer hard!  We love and miss him so much!  We can't wait to Skype again at Christmas!